Pneumatic valve



ATTORNEYS R 9 3 m m Ow RTO BM d 0mm. I m

u M 1 M June 2, 1942.

iatcnteti June 2, 1942 2,284,911: PNEUMATIC vALvE Lewis (7. Brocckcr. Nichols, Conn., assignor to Bridgeport Brass Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application November 3, 1939, Serial No. 302,661

3 Claims.

This invention relates to pneumatic valves and more especially to bus or truck pneumatic valves which are subjected to high temperatures during operation.

An object of this invention is an all-metal caplcss tire valve which is effective in operation, is simple to manufacture and assemble, does not deteriorate with age and is unaffected by heat.

In a tire valve embodying the invention, the construction and arrangement of the valve parts is such as to permit the use of a stronger valve spring than is ordinarily used in a tire valve, thereby insuring an air-tight seal between the metal members comprising the valve body and valve seat. Also, ample clearance is provided around and through such spring for speedy air passage so that inflation speed of the valve is far greater than that of the conventionalyalves now in use. The end of the air passageway is normally-closed by a plug which is movable by der I4. The soft metal coating provides airtight joints between the valve body It and the seat I1 and also between the tapered portion 18 and the exterior shoulder l4.

The inner shoulder It" supports the inner or lower end of a coil spring IS, the upper end of which spring engages a button or disc member 20 fastened to the upper end of the center pin 2|. The spring I9 surrounds the center pin 2| and is stronger than the usual valve tire spring, and the use of such spring is made possible because of the extra amount of space provided for air pressure into a chamber in the passageway of sufficiently larger diameter than the plus to permit free flow of air around the periphery of the plug.

Other objects, novel features and advanta es of this invention will become apparent from the following specificationand accompanying drawing. wherein:

Fig. l is a longitudinal section through a tire valve embodying one modification of the invcntion. and

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through a tire valve embodying another modification of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a section embodying a modified form of the valve body of the invention. V

In Fig. 1, H is a conventional metal valve stem which may, as herein shown, be provided with a rubber covering l2. A barrel I3 is adapted to be positioned within the stem, the lower end of the barrel being reduced in diameter at H to form an exterior shoulder l4 and an interior shoulder I4". The upper end of the barrel is provided or formed with an outwardly extending lateral flange IS. A valve body I6 is provided on the lower-end of center pin 2| for cooperation with a valve seat I! formed by the lower end of the barrel [3. This lower end of the barrel is exteriorly coated from a point slightly above the exterior shoulder l4 and around the valve seat H, with a layer of soft metal, such, for example, as lead or a tin lead alloy. The interior of the stem II is provided with a tapered or beveled surfaced portion l8 which constitutes a seat for the exterior shoulthe spring by the construction of the valve. In addition, ample clearance is provided through and around the spring for free passage of air through the barrel l3. The lowe'stcoil Drum spring is preferablymade of slightly larger-diameter than the rest so that it may e'ngage frictionally with the side wall ofthe -barrel 13 while the upper coils are slightly spaced there lrom.

A sleeve or hollow cap 22 is interiorlythreaded at 23 to fit the outer threads of the conventional valve stem H. A shoulder 2G is formed on the inner surface of the cap 2 2, against which shoulder 24 the flange l5 of the barrel [3 engages, thus forcing the exterior shoulder M of barrel l3 against the tapered seat l8 of the stem H when the cap 22 is screwed onto such stem.

-The cap 22 is permanently connected with the barrel l3 for rotation relative thereto by a plurality of lu s 25 formed at intervals by pushing or upsetting the metal on the inside of the sleeve 22 just below the shoulder 24 after the flange g: has been placed in contact with the shoulder The button 20 not only serves to transmit the force of the spring l9 t0 the center pin 2| and valve body l6, but also constitutes a closing plug for the opening 26 in the sleeve 22, thus effectively preventing dust and other foreign matter from entering the sleeve. The bore of the sleeve 22, as compared with its opening 26, is enlarged at 21, thus providing clearance between theperiphery of the button 20 and the interior of the bore when the button I0 is moved inwardlyso that air may freely fiow into and through the sleeve.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 2, the barrel 3| is formed to provide a rib or bead 32 adapted to engage the tapered seat l8 of the stem ll. At its outer or upper end the barrel 3| has an outwardly and laterally extending flange 33 which loosely fits into a recess 34a, provided in the lower end of the sleeve or screw plug 34.

The lower end of this plug 34 is turned inwardly, as at 35. The flange 33 fits in the recess 34a between the end 35 and the shoulder 34b and thus the barrel 3| and sleeve 34 are connected for free relative rotation. A metal valve body 36 is provided for cooperation with a valve seat 31 formed at the bottom or lower edge of the barrel 3|. This valve body 36 may be spherical in form, or conical in form. The lower portion of the barrel 3| is preferably exteriorly coated with soft metal, such, for example, as lead or tin lead alloy, beginning with a point Just above the rib 32 around the lower end of the barrel.

On the outer surface of the sleeve 34 are provided threads 36 of proper size to screw freely into the interior threads of conventional valve stems, thus pressing the shoulder 34b against the top of the flange 33 which in turn presses the bead or rib 32 firmly into contact with the tapered seat l8. The lower end of a spring 39 rests on the top of the flange 33, and its upper end engages a button or disc member 40 carried by the upper end of the center pin 2|, the lower end of the center pin being connected to the valve body 36. Through thisarrangement the spring 39 operates to hold the valve body 36 in engagement with the valve seat 31, the button 40 being arranged normally to close opening 44 of sleeve 34.

The upper end of the sleeve '34 is enlarged to fit conventional, inflating chucks and air gauges. The outer circumference of this enlarged portion is knurled at 42 to' facilitate screwing it tightly into a valve stem. The bore of the head 42 is enlarged at 43 to permit free passage of air around the button 40- when the latter is depressed.

While the valve bodies i6 and 36 preferably are spherical and composed of hardened steel, it is to be understood that they may be conical or otherwise suitably shaped and may be composed of any other material having characteristics fitting it for use as the valve body. The buttons or heads and 40 are of proper diameter snugly to flt the openings 26 and 44 of the sleeves 22 and 34 while being freely movable axially thereof.

Fig. 3 shows a modification wherein the valve body IG' is made of rubber or other suitable heatresisting material vulcanized to or otherwise secured to the upset or flanged end 28 of pin 2 I.

- I claim:

' 1. In a device of the character described, a first tubular member having an interior shoulder intermediate its-ends adapted to rest on the valve seat of a conventional valve stem of the type having a valve seat therein, said member being coated with soft metal from said shoulder to one of its ends, a valve'seat provided at said lastnamed coated end. and an outwardly extending lateral flange at the opposite end of said member, a second tubular member having a threaded portion for threaded engagement with said standard valvestem, means on said second tubula! member to engage said flange rotatably and permanently without permitting relative longitudinal displacement of said two tubular members, a steel spherical valve body adapted to seat against said coated end, a pin integral with and extending from said valve body through said tubular members and having a head closing an end of said second tubular member, said second tubular member being of larger interior diameter adjacent said last-named end than at said lastnamed end, and a spring interposed between said shoulder and said head, the said spring having one of its coil turns so admeasured as to frictionallyengage the inner surface of said first tubular member and its other turns so admeasured as to clear said surface.

2. In a device ofthe character described, a tubular member having an exteriorly threaded portion .adapted to be screwed into a conventional valve stem of the type having a valve seat therein, a tubular extension rotatably joined at one end to one end of said tubular member and forming a shoulder at the joint, said joint comprising a flange on said one end of said extension and a recess provided on said one end of said tubular member into which said flange extends, a rib or head formed on said tubular extension and adapted to engage with said valve seat, the other end of said extension being coated with soft metal, a spherical steel valve body adapted to seat against said coated end, a pin extending from said valve body through said extension and said member and having a head, and a spring interposed between said shoulder and said head, the said spring having its lowest coil so admeasured as to engage frictionally with the inner surface of said member adjacent said shoulder and having its other coils so admeasured as to clear said inner surface.

3. A tire valve comprising a barrel having an external shoulder adapted to engage the internal valve seat of a conventional valve stem, and an outwardly and laterally extending flange at the upper end of said barrel, a sleeve adapted to threadedly engage a threaded portion of said stem above said valve seat, said sleeve having an inwardly turned portion at its lower end provid ing a recess in which said flange fits to provide free and relative rotation between said barrel and said sleeve without relative longitudinal displacement, said barrel having a valve seat at its lower end, soft metallic coating on said barrel extending over the portion thereof beginning with its said external shoulder to and including its valve seat, a valve body adapted to co-operate with said coated valve seat, a center pin extending upwardly from said valve body through said barrel and said sleeve, a head on said pin adjacent its upper end so admeasured as to provide a closure for the upper end of said sleeve, and a spring surrounding said pin and extending between said head and said flange, said spring having an enlarged portion at its lower end resting on said flange and frictionally engaging the inner wall of said sleeve above said recess.

LEWIS C. BROECKER. 

